This is the artists fifth solo exhibition, at the gallery. December 2006 elliott david art slut finally, buzz spector. While the collection counts 4000 items, only 15 are displayed every week. The artist buzz spectors 1994 installation unpacking my library consisted of all the books in his library, arranged in order of the height of spine, from tallest to shortest, on a. Louis, mo artists videos on the youtube bdg channel playlist youtube playlist recent press. New work by buzz spector, marsha mateyka gallery, washington,dc 1997 kerlin gallery, dublin, ireland zollalieberman gallery, chicago, il 1996 painting marsha mateyka gallery, washington, dc 1995 unpacking my library, cleveland contemporary for art, cleveland, oh roy boyd gallery, chicago, il angles gallery, santa monica, ca. As words and stories are increasingly disseminated through digital means, the significance of the book as objectwhether pristine collectible or battered relicis growing as well. The art of the book, society for contemporary crafts, pittsburgh, pa. Nov 30, 2009 as ive been a fan of cutdown trees all my life unpacking my library would seem the ideal addition to add to my shelves in the book jacket and design section. Reflections on walter benjamins unpacking my library on.
Taking its inspiration from walter benjamins seminal 1931 essay, the unpacking my library series charts a spirited exploration of the reading and book collecting practices of todays leading thinkers. Be ready to share with me a bit of the moodit is certainly not an elegiac mood but, rather, one of anticipationwhich these books arouse in a genuine collector. The process can result in an installation, a photograph, an individual object, an editioned artists book or even a. An installation in the san diego state university art gallery.
As words and stories are increasingly disseminated through digital means, the significance of the book as object, whether pristine collectible or battered relic, is growing as well. This article could possibly be paired with benjamins unpacking my library. Publication date 2010 note originally published as a chapter of his illuminations. A reading from unpacking my library by walter benjamin a talk about book collecting i am unpacking my library. As ive been a fan of cutdown trees all my life unpacking my library would seem the ideal addition to add to my shelves in the book jacket and design section. Spector, buzz double readings 1987 spector, buzz unpacking my library 1995 spector, buzz the book makers desire 1995 spector, buzz details. I cannot march up and down their ranks to pass them in view before a friendly audience.
Whether it is leporello or installation, the reader viewer of unpacking my library is launching and launched on. At san diego state university, he created the walter benjamin inspired instillation unpacking my library where he lined up all the books in his library, from. The essay was first published in 1931 in literarische welt. What i am really concerned with is giving you some insight into the relationship of a book collector to his possessions, into collecting rather than a collection. Books on books collection buzz spector books on books. Although materials relating to bibliography and bibliphily were collected in special collections and university archives in the past, it was in 1995, following the success of the first new jersey book arts symposium njbas that scua first began to collect the book arts as such.
Unpacking my library by jo steffens yale university press. Nov, 2011 the artist buzz spectors 1994 installation unpacking my library consisted of all the books in his library, arranged in order of the height of spine, from tallest to shortest, on a. Interviews of buzz spector on the youtube gallery playlist watch interview on youtube buzz spector in art in america april 2014 interview with alex kitnick art in america artist bio artist cv pdf artist essay pdf artist website publications click on image for availability and larger image. Buzz spector unpacking my library unsigned printed. Books can define a life books read, books written, books collected, books forgotten. Nov 29, 2011 as words and stories are increasingly disseminated through digital means, the significance of the book as objectwhether pristine collectible or battered relicis growing as well. I read it in a collection of benjamins essays and reflections called illuminations that i purchased primarily to read his more famous essay, the work of art in the age of mechanical reproduction. They embody the places i have been, people i have known, classes i have taken, research projects i have undertaken or have wanted to undertake or may yet undertake. Jan 09, 2014 every book i have, i have for a reason. This catalogue includes texts by marshall klimasewiski and buzz spector and afterword by bruno l. Unlike much other ephemera such as invitations, broadsides and the like, however, these items have that selfreflexiveness so characteristic of book art. So unpacking my library allows me indeed, forces me to relive my past, evaluate my present, and consider my future. All the books in the artists library, arranged in order of the height of the spine, from tallest to shortest, on a single shelf large enough to hold all of them around the walls of a room. Buzz spector unpacking my library unsigned printed matter.
An installation by buzz spector, 1995 at the san diego state university art gallery, october 1, 1994, documents this artwork that was constructed from all the books in the artists library arranged in order of the height of the spine, from the tallest to the shortest. Fluxus, interactive art, white walls, off white walls. Architects are the obvious choice as the books subject, by their nature they are tidy folk and the professional and personal titles they own are sure to be in a photogenic format. Panoramic photographic print on 2 conjoined accordionfold leaves, text printed verso. An internationally recognized artist and critical writer, buzz spector works in a wide range of mediums including. The book collector and the subconscious shelf poetry. Unpacking my library shelves, bookcase, stack, home decor, home. All the books in the artists library, arranged in order of the height of the spine, from tallest to shortest, on a single shelf large enough to hold all of them around.
Published by the gallery for the exhibition new work by buzz spector at bruno david gallery. Likewise for spector s installation, any spectator walking into it has entered a fiction. But price also invokes an argument for the book collector, without really addressing it, which is interesting. This gorgeous second volume in the popular unpacking my library series explores the bookshelves of favorite novelists as words and stories are increasingly disseminated through digital means, the significance of the book as objectwhether pristine collectible or battered relicis. Jan, 2016 over the past 30 years, books in all their permutations have served as both subject and medium for franklin buzz spector, dean of the college and graduate school of art.
New jersey book arts archive rutgers university libraries. Spector rips, stacks, tears, sews, bends and otherwise alters both found and custommade volumes. Spectors installation was documented in a simple fanfold book. His photographic work includes the selfexplanatory all the books in my library. Writers and their books features the personallibraries of alison bechdel, stephen carter, junot diaz, rebecca goldsteinand steven pinker, lev grossmanand sophie gee, jonathan lethem, claire messudand james wood, philip pullman, gary shteyngart, and edmund white. One of the best books to come out of the rock scene, was publishers weeklys assessment of williams brilliant portrait of phil spector, originally published in 1972, and now updated to include spector s work over the following three decades and the bizarre circumstances surrounding the shooting of lana clarkson at spector s l. This keepsake, suggested by professors martin jay and catherine gallagher, has been designed and printed at the arion press in an edition of 300 copies for presentation to members of the roxburghe and zamorano clubs at t. Series was designed to cover groups of books generally understood as such see wikipedia. Nov 29, 2011 this gorgeous second volume in the popular unpacking my library series explores the bookshelves of favorite novelists as words and stories are increasingly disseminated through digital means, the significance of the book as objectwhether pristine collectible or battered relicis growing as well.
Unpacking my library is a collection of interviews on the bookish habits of thirteen contemporary writers, accompanied by pictures of their libraries. The inspiration for this essay was the act of unpacking his library after its twoyear storage. Among his most celebrated works are freeze freud and unpacking my library. Altered book copy of david mitchell, slade house, ny. Buzz spector, unpacking my library, 1995, cleveland center. Apr 30, 2009 he is a true collector, more specifically a book collector. He is a visual artist who for more than three decades has used various aspects of the book as both subject and primary medium. A sea of torn pages the source washington university.
Like many concepts in the book world, series is a somewhat fluid and contested notion. For his essay, benjamin created the fiction of the readers being present as the library is being unpacked. Buzz spector, annette lemieux, anselm kiefer, hong hao, john latham, naylan blake, ann. Sarah krepp and buzz spector, betty moody gallery, houston, tx. Marsha mateyka gallery is pleased to present an exhibition of recent collages by nationally known, conceptual artist, buzz spector. Imschoot, uitgevers michael snow cover to cover, 1975 halifax, nova scotia, canada. Writers and their books spotlights the personal libraries of thirteen favorite novelists who share their collections with readers. Buzz spector as if, 2002 handmade paper with thread inclusion. The artist buzz spectors 1994 installation unpacking my library consisted of all the books in his library, arranged in order of the height of spine, from tallest to shortest, on a single shelf in a room large enough to hold them.
Notes towards a definition of the ideal library a reader on reading. Unpacking my library, san diego state university art gallery installation, lisa sette gallery, scottsdale, az. He is a true collector, more specifically a book collector. A good rule of thumb is that series have a conventional name and are intentional creations, on the part of the author or publisher. Unpacking my library is a phrase implying an activity that is just getting going. Interviews of buzz spector on the youtube gallery playlist watch interview on youtube buzz spector in art in america april 2014 interview with alex kitnick art in america artist bio artist cv pdf artist essay pdf artist website. A sea of torn pages for artist spector, books are both subject and medium.
This keepsake, suggested by professors martin jay and catherine gallagher, has been designed and printed at the arion press in an edition of 300 copies for presentation to members of the roxburghe and zamorano clubs at the joint meeting in san francisco on october 16, 2010, and to arion press subscribers. With the exception of unpacking my library, spectors works in the books on books collection fall into the category of ephemera. Curated by buzz spector dreamtigers revelation of a famous. This smart record of buzz spectors exhibition, unpacking my library. First edition, printed for spector s october 1994 installation at san diego state university art gallery, in which spector arranged all the books in his. Each time i move offices, i read walter benjamins essay unpacking my library. In his essay unpacking my library he takes a serious if not humorous look at the act of collecting and the relationship between the collector and his or her possessions.
Nov 01, 2011 unpacking my library is a collection of interviews on the bookish habits of thirteen contemporary writers, accompanied by pictures of their libraries. The books are not yet on the shelves, not yet touched by the mild boredom of order. Buzz spector book arts and installations book art, art, altered books. First edition, printed for spectors october 1994 installation at san diego state university art gallery, in which spector arranged all the books in his.
Louis artists images artist, st louis skyline, sarah. One of the best books to come out of the rock scene, was publishers weeklys assessment of williams brilliant portrait of phil spector, originally published in 1972, and now updated to include spectors work over the following three decades and the bizarre circumstances surrounding the shooting of lana clarkson at spectors l. Writers and their books from the worlds largest community of readers. Its a small book, perfect gift size, about 5 34 inches high by 8 inches in wide, and 201 pages. Architects are the obvious choice as the book s subject, by their nature they are tidy folk and the professional and personal titles they own are sure to be in a photogenic format. Whether it is leporello or installation, the readerviewer of unpacking my library is launching and launched on. The illustration consists of all the books in the artists library, arranged in order of the height of the spine, from the.
Cleveland center for contemporary art buzz spector borgesfunes, 2005 buzz spector the irony, 2004 telfer stokes and. The press of nova scotia college of art and design buzz spector unpacking my library, 1995 cleveland, oh. At san diego state university, he created the walter benjamin inspired instillation unpacking my library where he lined up all the books in his library, from tallest to shortest, along a single bookshelf in a room large enough to hold them. A sea of torn pages the source washington university in. The illustration consists of all the books in the artists library, arranged in order of the height of the spine, from the tallest to the shortest, on a single shelf in a room large enough to hold them. It explicates and contextualizes benjamins famous essay, arguing that benjamin is so interrelated with his books that he unpacks himself and his books simultaneously.
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